Armored vehicle body



Sept. 28, 1943. B. Q. J-oNEs ARMORED VEHICLE BODY Filed March 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r1. En VD n mu QA x .D N a H 6 0 2 m m m m Sept. 28, 1943. JONES 2,330,218

ARMORED VEHICLE BODY Filed March 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invencur .Eayrnn EQ- rJqnE me of any royalty thereon. i.

U'Nll?fE, -D 2S j ED' United i -1:Fort Knox,'Ky.;Q; I salami mew. 1 ase i 3 54 1 s a (critic-4.1M (Granted.under jthe act ofjMarch' b, 18 83; a me fl n w 19 191e a e fggThe invention described herein maybemanu I factured and used by or for the-Governmentfor governmental purposes; without the payment to This invention relates toan armoredfvehicle especially a'daptednfo'r military purposes. I 3

With the development of effective anti-tank guns and armor-piercing projectiles the race be-- tween armor and projectile has resulted in the creation of ponderous vehicleswhose tactical mobility and military eficiency have been seriously impaired. A study of the employment ofv tanks in warfare, with a consideration of the defenses evolved to combat them reveals the possibilitiesand importance of a small, high speed tank presenting reduced visibility and vulnerability and capable of carrying a suflicient crew to'develop great offensive power. 7

The provision of a tank of restricted weight which will meet these requirements involves a departure from conventional design and arrangementand a careful analysis of space considerations. The vehicle'of this invention is characterized by a novel arrangement of engine and crew compartments inzwhich. a pair of side units, each housing an engine, are detachably connected to a center unit in which the occupants seated Y to the floor 'conveniently. by bolts l1. yThe cas- 'ing encloses'one or more fuel-tanks. 18' and pro-' a provide a seat which maybe comfortably strad in tandem, straddle a longitudinal disposed fueltank of large capacity. The, occupants are not, i only favorably positioned for. easy entry and departure in the face of opposition or when the tank is overturned but they are each in a position y from which they may, without interference,

control the tank and operate weapons,

' A further object ofthe invention is to provide a tank which'will be capable of rapid quantity production and which will be amphibious. I

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the acompanying draw-1 ings in which:

may operatethe vehicle. I I

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal s ctiona view of the improved vehicle body;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-4" of Fig. 1; r

- Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of one of the side units; Fig. 4 is a plan View, and Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation. Referring to the drawings by characters pla'nt'23 which is'used to drivewheelsor'anendless track indicated generally at C, and disposed" i .relatively narrow center unit but it alsojprovides a'favorable low center of gravity; r

Thersides.areyeach-formed with a large op1eri.-:: v M ing indic'ated at in which is'closed; When theicorg T manner; by means of a bjolt lLpa'ssinggthrou h f a door l5 so that the crew may have an entryj are positioned for convenient access to the entire being preferably slightly elevated.pThis type; of

handholds l9 enables the occupant to maintain-5 his position evenwhen passing'over rough ground.

continuous with the floor 5.of the center unit, and

' approximately midway the height of th'ecenter' unit. The sidewallZZ of each. unit Bis preferresponding side unit B 'isgattachefitqithecenter .unit, ;.the vconnection beingefie ted in; a simple lugslzandjlii ,on the units and receiving ani tzlfllf 1 r The sides 6 and ends 8 are-each provided with and anexit at four points, which is offadvantage when the vehicle catches fire. or turns over or. when the crew are obliged-toescape from the vehicle while under hostile fire.- All of "the-doors crew and for the easy removal of casualties among the crew.

. A longnarrow casing- I6 extends longitudinally I the full length of the center unit and is secured P 1 videsl'an extremely large capacitywhile' the 10-. V cation insures maximum protectionzifrom fire. The casing l6-has a widthand height to dled by the crew who sit in tandem and may, v facevto the'front or;r ear, the cente'r occupant 7 seat in conjunction :with conveniently placed As shown in Fig. 2 the center'unit providessu fw ficient space for the occupants andfconforrns generally to the outline of anoccupantin seated position. There is sufficientspace laterally ib tween the occupants'and the side units Brtdprovide for the installation of control equipment; (not shown) whereby any one" of the, occupants i Each side will; B includes ants; ZllTwhich a roof 2|], which meetsnthesloping superstructure ably of thicker armor plate to afford-protectionagainstpenetration of projectiles totheinterior. ofthevehicle body. I

Each side unit B contains an engineer power above and below the side unit. This arrangement; t not only restricts .the height of the body tothe a hollow'fmmber extending centrally ,and' longitudinally along the said center unit for containing. the said fuel and for seating the said occu pants in tandem, the sides of the said member being spaced from the sides of the said center unit to provide clearance for the legs of the ocbil pants seated astraddle the said member roof of the said center unit to provide a minimum of clearance for the bodies of the said occupants, the sides of the center unit sloping downward from its said roof to providehthe minimum of clearance on'bo-th'sides of the portion of the occupants andto present sloped outside' surfaces, the sides of the said center 'unit' below it's said sloped p'ortion being provided with an opening, and a pair of side units detachably secured: to the sides of'thece'riter unit to-clo'se its said openings and adapted to-house the'said prc' pulsion mechanism, the top of the said 'si'de' units meeting the said sloped portion of the sidesof 2. An armored vehicle adapted to house the center unit approximately idway the height of said center unit.

one or more, occupants, vehicle propulsion mechanism, and fuel therefor, in combination, a center unit,

. a hollow member extending centrally and longitudinally along the said center Unit foi'j'containingthe Said-fuel and"fr s eating-thesaid occupants in tandem, the sides of the said member being spaced from the sides of the said center unit toproviderclearance for the legs of the occupants seated astraddle the said member and the: top of e the said member being spaced from the roof of top of the said member being spaced from the the said center unit to provide a minimum of clearanceforj the bodies of said occupants the sidesof the" center unit sloping downward from its s'aid roof to provide the minimum of clearance on both sides of the upper body portion of the occupants and to present, sloped outside surfaces,

the sides of thesaid centerunit below its said sloped portion being provided with an opening,

' anda pair. of side units detachably secured to to house the said propulsion 

